CPL 2021: St. Lucia eliminate Royals

St Lucia Kings sealed a comfortable win over bottom-placed Barbados Royals in a rain-affected game.

The highlight of the Kings’ innings was Faf du Plessis’s 54-ball 84.

This was followed by a five-wicket haul by David Wiese just when the Royals looked like making a fight of it.

St. Lucia finish at 176

St. Lucia lost 3 quick wickets, with the openers falling to Mohammad Amir.

Roston Chase soon followed them with a duck.

Despite these early hiccups, Du Plessis kept the scoreboard ticking at a rapid clip.

In all, he hit five fours and four sixes and looked in complete control against pace and spin.

Against spinners Jake Lintott and Joshua Bishop, he employed the the cut and sweep shots.

Finally, he perished just 16 runs short of what would have been his second CPL 2021 century.

The good work was carried forward by Tim Davids who’s smashed 34 in 23 balls and Keemo Paul who took just 11 balls to score 22.

Royals flatter to deceive

The total of 176 was a tough ask but Barbados weren’t in the mood to give up without a fight.

Though Kyle Mayers fell early with the score at 8, Johnson Charles and Shai Hope took the score to 72, with some excellent stroke play.

Charles and Hope were aggressive against Wahab Riaz and Alzarri Joseph and at one point, took the total to 56 for 1 in six overs.

St. Lucia found their bowling hero in David Wiese who will represent Namibia at the T20 World Cup next month.

Wiese turned the match on its head by getting rid of Charles, Hope and also Glenn Phillips in a single over.

Charles sliced a cutter in the air and Wiese completed a caught and bowled.

Phillips, averaging just over 20 this season was then caught behind for a golden duck.

Hope also fell to the Fletcher-Wiese combination when his cut off a rising ball took an edge and led to an easy catch.

A lot was expected from all-rounders Thisara Perera and Nyeem Young but they disappointed, failing to reach even double digits.

Jason Holder tried to make a fight of it.

He hit left-arm spinner Jeavor Royal for three sixes and a four in the 13th over before becoming Wiese’s fourth victim.

That’s when the rain started and the covers came on.

When play resumed 45 minutes later, Royals needing 52 in 21 balls.

This was an impossible target for the Royals who caved in.

Hayden Walsh tried to achieve the unlikely but scoring 30 off 18 balls with one four and three sixes but eventually succumbed to Wiese, giving him a five-wicket haul.

With this defeat, Royals have no hope of making the playoffs and continue to be at the bottom of the table.

St Lucia Kings 175 for 6 (du Plessis 84, David 34, Amir 2-31) beat Barbados Royals 155 for 8 (Holder 34, Wiese 5-25) by 14 runs (DLS method)